Hering's experiment: Myths and facts

The experiment on magnetic induction known from KARL HERING (1908) is presented in various textbooks as an example of the pitfalls FARADAY'S law can exhibit for the case of moving matter. Unfortunately, most of these presentations are - putting it mildly - at the very least, problematical. Either, FARADAY'S law is very often misinterpreted in a way that only leads to further confusion, or only such reference systems are initially chosen that avoid the need of an explanation and are thus of limited value only. Therefore, the aim of this paper is not only to give a clear description of the physics inherent in HERING'S experiment but also to clarify most of the misconceptions currently present in the literature. In addition, its objective is to present an acceptable and appropriate interpretation of the experiment with respect to the application of FARADAY'S laws.